Force India wants to do as well as Williams in 2016
Force India intends to continue its steady progress next season. Bob Fernley, the team's director, already has Williams in his sights.
The 2015 season was the best in the history of the young Force India team: ranked fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, Vijay Mallya’s team managed to outshine Toro Rosso, Lotus, and McLaren-Honda, even matching Red Bull throughout the second half of the season.
But has Force India, suffering from limited financial leeway, hit a glass ceiling? Bob Fernley, the team’s director, doesn’t believe so and has set Williams as the next target. Like Force India, the Grove-based team is a private team equipped with a Mercedes power unit.
“The best we can do is what Williams is currently doing, and that should be our goal,” said Bob Fernley to Autosport. “I believe a team that is competing for podiums like Williams is a benchmark for the performance of an independent team,” he continued.
Bob Fernley is well aware that he will never compete for the laurels of the discipline… like Williams: “The fact is that unless something totally unexpected happens elsewhere, [Williams] will not win a race, and they certainly will not win a championship.”
Before aiming for a fourth place in the constructors’ standings, Force India will first have to withstand potential comebacks from McLaren-Honda and Renault.
